Fermentation metabolism of the unicellular cyanobacterium Cyanothece PCC 7822

• Published in: Archives of microbiology Vol. 152; no. 5; pp. 415 - 419
• Main Authors: Oost, J. van der, Bulthuis, B.A, Feitz, S, Krab, K, Kraayenhof, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-10-1989
• Subjects: Cyanobacteria; Cyanothece; degradation; fermentation; Marine; metabolism; oxidative phosphorylation
• ISSN: 0302-8933; 1432-072X
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00446921

The hydrogenase-catalyzed hydrogen production exhibited by the unicellular cyanobacterium Cyanothece 7822 during anoxic incubation in the dark is a result of the fermentative degradation of carbon reserves. Simultaneously with hydrogen production, evolution of carbon dioxide was detected, and excretion of ethanol, lactate, formate and acetate was demonstrated. The fermentation balance indicates that carbohydrates are fermented via a branched pathway, in which both the pentose phosphate pathway and glycolysis appear to be involved. It is proposed that the physiological function of hydrogen production is the introduction of protons as terminal electron acceptors.